1986 February Vol. 2 Num. 1

1888 Message Bears Fruit

Behind the apparent lull since the last Newsletter, there has been much fruitful activity. Seminars have been held from California to New York. Progress has been made on reprinting basic books relating to the 1888 Message.

Thousands of people have heard the 1888 Message as they have attended seminars, weeks of prayer and weekend preaching services. These have stimulated widespread interest in tapes and books which spread that "most precious message" even more widely.

Elders Short, Snyman and Wieland have worked in various combinations to present the message. They have been assisted at times by pastors who are sharing the good news with their congregations. Appointments have included: weeks of prayer at the Pacific Press, Uchee Pines Institute and Hartland Institute (another scheduled at Weimar Institute); seminars in Cleveland OH, Livingston NY, Memphis TN, Berwick PA, Deland FL, Manhattan NY, Ridgewood NJ, Hamilton, Ont.

Study Groups Launched

CLEVELAND, OH: Dr. Miroslav Kavur has started a study group on the second and fourth Friday evenings of each month in the Western Reserve SDA School, 10959 Johnnycake Ridge Rd. Time: 7 p.m.

BARBERTON, OH: As a follow-up of the Cleveland Seminar, members from Cleveland, Canton, Akron and Barberton meet the second Sabbath afternoon of the month in the Barberton Church, 432 Wooster Rd., North. Time: 4 p.m.

QUEENS, NY: On January 18, Sidney Sweet and Steven Grabiner started a monthly study group as a follow-up of the Manhattan Seminar. For information, call 201-579-1050.

TAZEWELL, VA: Church members who attend Wednesday night prayer meeting are reading and discussing the books of Waggoner and Jones.

If you are planning a seminar or starting a Bible study group, send information about the time and place for announcement in the next Newsletter.

ACM Produces Lesson Tapes

Much hard work behind the scenes is providing the printed word and tapes needed to spread the good news. Alexander Snyman and Al Newhart have produced a set of tapes which present the Sabbath school lessons for the first quarter of '86 on the book of Ephesians in the setting of the 1888 Message of Christ and His righteousness.

A second set of tapes is already available, providing Elder Snyman's commentary on the second quarter's lessons on Habakkuk.

These tapes are available from American Cassette Ministries, P. O. Box 922, Harrisburg, PA 17108, at $17.95 a set, postpaid. (In Canada, add $4.00 for first class shipping.)

Seminar Speakers Scheduled

Future appointments are listed below so that you can plan to attend or invite your friends in the area to do so.

Plans are under way for two more regional conferences—in Ohio and New England. Details will be announced as soon as they are finalized.

Message Spreads From NYC

Sidney Sweet and Steven Grabiner are sharing the good news, reaching out from their New York City base as they are invited to hold meetings in small churches. Sidney is on the Living Springs staff and Steven is manager of Country Life's Wall Street restaurant.

After attending the seminar at Livingston, they worked with Pastor John McClarty to arrange for the seminar in

Manhattan. Since then they have found opportunities to give studies in churches in New Jersey, Maryland and Connecticut.

As more and more people who have been blessed by the 1888 Message of Christ's righteousness find ways to share it, lights will go on in hundreds, even thousands of places in North America and around the world. We shall see the earth lightened with the glory of the fourth angel.

First Seminar Held in Canada

The first 1888 Message Seminar in Canada was held in the Hamilton Mt. Church, Ont., January 17-20. Elder Wieland reports that the interest exceeded anything he has seen thus far, with good attendance Friday through Monday nights and an overflow crowd of about 200 on Sabbath morning.

After the Monday night meeting eager questioners held him another hour. Book sales totaled $1200 (Canadian).

The Seminar came about through the persistent efforts of Mrs. Gloria Lawson who first heard the 1888 Message from the American Cassette Ministries tapes of the Mohaven Conference.

The outstanding success of this seminar is a demonstration of what one person on fire with the truth she has found can do. With much prayer and effort, Mrs. Lawson was able to work out the arrangements for the meetings. The large, enthusiastic attendance was a response to more than 50 personal letters she wrote, sharing her enthusiasm and inviting people to come.

Book Preparation Moves Ahead

In addition to preparation of several SIGNS articles and book manuscripts requested by Pacific Press, Elder Wieland has spent a major share of his time fine-tuning a manuscript on "corporate repentance." The manuscript has had four or five revisions, the latest a whole new first chapter.

We pray that God will impress those who are able to provide financial support for publication of this book. When it is ready, we need to make a united effort to place it in the hands of pastors, conference officers and executive committees, using our personal influence to encourage them to give it serious consideration. This may be the means the Holy Spirit will use to prepare the remnant church for the Loud Cry and the Latter Rain.

A new edition of IN SEARCH OF THE CROSS, the little volume prized by so many as the heart of the gospel is in production at Mt. Missionary Press.

Donald Short and Robert Wieland are doing editorial work on the original 1888 RE-EXAMINED to be republished as soon as possible. This will require a large capital investment.

GLAD TIDINGS by E. J. Waggoner is off the Mt. Missionary Press and available from ACM or the ABC's. Price, $5.95. (See pages 6 and 7 for in- formation about books and tapes.)

Help Needed for Study Guides

Several people who are eager to have a set of studies for non-Adventists which present the Biblical teaching of righteousness by faith, are reviewing the studies Elder Wieland prepared for his Chula Vista church some years ago. We hope to produce a manuscript which will provide a helpful tool for laymen to use in giving Bible studies. Does anyone want to volunteer his/her editorial skills to help with this project?

New Book Presents the Gospel

A new book from Pacific Press by Dennis Priebe offers a beautifully clear and simple way out of the current confusion in Adventism regarding "three critical areas—sin, Christ and perfection." Dr. Priebe's book FACE TO FACE WITH THE REAL GOSPEL proceeds from "the basic presupposition . . . that the heart of the cosmic controversy between God and Satan revolves around the issue of free choice. . . ."

Building upon the foundation that "Sin is not basically the way man is, but the way man chooses," the author takes the position that "If sin is not nature but choice, then Christ could inherit our fallen, sinful nature without thereby becoming a sinner."

Doctor Priebe's conclusion is compatible with the theme of Christian perfection which runs through the Spirit of Prophecy in such statements as this:

"Christ took humanity and bore the hatred of the world that He might show men and women that they could live without sin, that their words, their actions, their spirit, might be sanctified to God. We can be perfect Christians if we will manifest this power in our lives." (THE UPWARD LOOK, p. 303)

Questions People Ask

We share with our readers a few of the thoughtful questions submitted at the Manhattan Seminar.

Is the desire for sin the same as sin itself? Ellen White says, "We need not retain one sinful propensity." (7BC 943) "Not for one moment was there in Christ an evil propensity." What does she mean?

One evidence of Ellen White's inspiration is the carefulness with which she used words. The word propensity comes from the Latin, propendere, which means a hanging down in response to gravity. (The word pendulum comes from the same root.) An evil or sinful propensity follows a response to temptation, a yielding to it; and since Christ never yielded, He had no propensity.

An alcoholic has a propensity for alcohol because he has already drunk it. A propensity is always the result of previous involvement in sin. The idea in the word is of compulsive yielding to temptation as in alcoholism. Other "propensities" Ellen White mentions are "self-indulgence, self-pleasing, pride and extravagance" which are "gratified." (R&H May 16, 1893) Christ had no such propensities, for He "pleased not Himself." (Rom. 15:3)

This does not mean that He was not "in all points tempted like as we are." He felt the pressure of our temptations because He took upon His sinless nature our sinful nature. He had to do something that the sinless Adam in the Garden did not have to do—He had to "deny Himself and take up His cross daily." (See Luke 9:23.) He had to say "No" to self, to His own will, that He might follow His Father's will. (John 5:30; 6:38)

Temptation is not sin unless it is cherished. . . . Do not for a moment acknowledge Satan's temptations as being in harmony with your own mind." (MS 31, 1911; R&H Sept. 18, 1975)

Temptation is not temptation unless it presupposes a susceptibility or potential desire for sin. This susceptibility to being "drawn away of . . . lust" is due to our natural sinful nature. (See James 1:14, 15.) But it is not sin to feel the pressure of being "drawn away." The sin lies in yielding to that pressure, being deceived by the bait, or enticed to sin.

Through faith in Christ, the child of God can so overcome that he will not retain one sinful propensity," that is, not succumb to any temptation. He will still have sinful flesh but by faith he can receive "the mind of Christ."

What is the cutting off point of A. T. Jones so far as being a trust- worthy speaker or writer is concerned?

Ellen White's on-going special endorsements of Jones ceased after 1896 or 1897. From 1906 on she was warning against giving him influence. His CONSECRATED WAY is the last book that we consider safe. Although published in 1905, it was largely written before the turn of the century. There is a bitterness or cynicism in his later works that is in sharp contrast to the beautiful spirit in his earlier ones.

If ye love Me, keep My commandments." Doesn't that mean I have to do something?

Of course, the believing child of God will obey His commandments. But your question betrays a buried root of legalism—"I have to do something." Legalism says you have to do this or that in order to be saved or to avoid being lost; the idea is always rooted in self-seeking. The motivation is egocentric. There is either fear of hell or hope of reward. This is being "under the law."

In contrast, the New Testament gospel supplies a higher motivation than the egocentric one. As a heart-appreciation of God's love, "faith worketh by agape." "The agape of Christ constraineth us." (Gal. 5:6; 2 Cor. 5:14) It's not that you have to obey the law in order to be saved, but such true faith constrains you to obey. You cease being "under the law"—under a self-seeking motivation—and are now "under grace" —under a new motivation, a new compulsion imposed by your heart- appreciation of the grace of Christ.

Yes, obedience is tremendously important. But beware of the pitfall of the Jews who asked, "What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?" Jesus sighed as He answered, "This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent." (John 6:28, 29) Ours is not a battle to do but a battle to believe. It's true: righteousness is by faith!

Is the 1888 message a new message? What does Ellen White mean when she says "new light" is to come? Is there anything in the message of Jones and Waggoner that she did not endorse?

In one strict sense, there is never any "new light," for it is always old light shining from eternity. "There is no new thing under the sun." (Eccl. 1:9)

But there is most certainly a further revelation of God's light to come when His people are ready to receive it. Ellen White said the 1888 message was "new" in that she had not heard it "from any human lips" during the previous 45 years except in private conversations with her husband. (Ms. 5, 1889) Obviously, no Adventist had been preaching it! She definitely called the 1888 message "new light." (Ms. 13, 1889; R&H March 5, June 18, July 23, 1889; June 3, 1890)

As sin abounds, grace must always "much more abound." As we near the end we must attain a clearer understanding of the gospel. We must also beware of counterfeit "new light" that contradicts old truth.

While she did not claim perfection or infallibility for anyone, Ellen White did endorse the 1888 message of righteousness by faith without reservation. "Every fiber of my heart said Amen," she wrote.

Christ experienced temptation but He did not experience the act of sin and consequent despair. How could He then fully identify with our humanity?

Good question! How do you know He did not experience our despair? If "the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isa. 53:6), there must be some way in which He experienced how we feel. He truly bore our guilt, not merely a judicial sentence of punishment. On the cross, He truly felt forsaken of His Father. (Matt. 27:46) He drank our cup of despair to the full! He "tasted death for every man," even the second death. (Heb. 2:9) That was terrifyingly real! Yes, He fully identified Himself with us.

From the Mailbox

In letters, telephone calls and personal visits, hungry church members witness to the blessing they are receiving from the revival of the message which launched the loud cry of the third angel nearly a hundred years ago. Here is a sampling of our mail:

"I really don't know how to express my appreciation for your ministry except to thank God and to write this note. I have been struggling, as many have, against Laodicea within and without, with "separationists," church critics, a critical spirit of my own and to maintain my own first love. The Lord has repeatedly spoken to my heart through your books and tapes, reminding me to esteem others better than myself, and reminding me of my own lack of appreciation for my true condition. Recently I picked up the only copy you brought to Hendersonville of a little book called BIBLE REPENTANCE. It has been an answer to a prayer of mine that I understand more about corporate repentance. . . . It is possibly the heaviest spiritual subject I have ever been confronted with since my decision to follow Christ. . . .

"It has been bringing me to my knees every day—in fact I can only read a few pages at a time! I would enthusiastically urge you to consider publishing it. I have never seen so clearly how the message of repentance fits into the final movements in this earth's history and how it is perhaps the key upon which all else depends. —Alan Reinach, North Carolina

"What a difference in our lives the 1888 tapes have made. My husband Bill and I have seen righteousness by faith in a new perspective as well as gotten a handle on how to deal with all the apostasy in the church.

"We then began to study the books by Jones and Waggoner and Wieland's books. . . . A lot of these books were already in our library but the tapes made us get it all together. Somehow in my understanding of righteousness by faith I had not seen the total self-denial that the Cross demands.

"We were in the process of having Bible studies in our home on the sanctuary, which we were writing out lessons for. The last lessons reflected more fully the concepts of righteousness by faith." —Donna and William Justinen, Indiana

"We were happy to discover an interest in the genuine 1888 message at various places on our trip. In our own area some good things have been happening. For Tazewell prayer meeting we have studied Herbert Douglass's books, WHY JESUS WAITS and FAITH—SAYING YES TO GOD. Next we studied GLAD TIDINGS by E. J. Waggoner. The pastor commented of that book that it was too short. New we are studying A. T. Jones' CONSECRATED WAY TO CHRISTIAN PERFECTION. —Elder Harold Toms, Virginia

"Since our meeting at New Orleans, I have been speaking at camp meetings. Everywhere I've been, our people are hungry for the truth of righteousness by faith. May God bless your efforts in spreading this vital message in your area." —Pastor E. H. Sequeira, Idaho

"Just a line to tell you that I really am glad that the Lord saw fit to allow me to attend the Mohaven 1888 Conference. I went there expecting to meet the presence of the Holy Spirit and He was there. I know it—others knew it too. And when I listen to the tapes of the meetings He's there even as before, and I thank Him for impressing my heart with this truth. My pastor and others in the church are also hearing the tapes in their own homes.

I'm just glad to be able to share with them the wonderful messages that we heard there. What a great day of victory is ahead for God's cause and people. I'm still anxious that other seminars be held around the country for the extension of God's truth." —Paul Allen, Missouri

"I have been studying the 1888 Message during the past several months. It is a beautiful message and has changed my Christian experience. . . . I would like to start an 1888 study group . . . Could you share with me how you are doing it and what books and materials you are using? --Harry Hartmann, Indiana

(A northeastern Ohio study group began by studying together Waggoner's GLAD TIDINGS but got sidetracked into Sequiera's CHRIST SPEAKS TO LAODICEA and a detailed study of the message to Laodicea with various members of the group leading out. Ed.)

"We had bought the book CHRIST AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS by E. J. Waggoner several years ago and Delmer was quite enthralled with his concept, totally centered on Christ. We had a lot of bits and pieces, but had never put them all together until we heard your message on this subject at the Gentry Conference and bought some of the books and brought them home to study. Then the pieces of the puzzle all began to fall into place. It is a beautiful message.

"We love the church and recognize it is the only one with the true message. But we do have some real concerns. The 1888 message seems to be the only solution and bright star in the sky for Laodicea — for us both individually and corporately. —Delmer and Shirley Enevoldson, Oklahoma

Discover what happened at the 1888 General Conference and why we are still

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You Can Fan The Flame Of The 1888 Message

Are you tired of waiting for Jesus to come?

Tired of apathy and apostasy?

Tired of unsound doctrine and lowered standards?

Tired of wars and disasters, suffering, disease and death?

Tired of human corruption and a decaying planet?

Do you grieve for the terrible burden of sin Jesus has carried for 6,000 years?

"Those who think of the result of hastening or hindering the gospel think of it in relation to themselves and to the world. Few think of its relation to God.

Few give thought to the suffering that sin has caused our Creator. All heaven suffered in Christ's agony; but that suffering did not begin or end with His manifestation in humanity. The cross is a revelation to our dull senses of the pain that, from its very inception, sin has brought to the heart of God." —Ed. p.263

Do you know why He waits?

"The long night of gloom is trying, but the morning is deferred in mercy, because if the Master should come, so many would be found unready. God's unwillingness to have His people perish, has been the reason of so long delay." —Ev. p.694

Are you satisfied to continue your pattern of church activity, missionary projects, comfortable lifestyle until you rest in the grave and pass to another generation the privilege of welcoming Jesus and being translated without seeing death?

100 years ago the countdown began for the Loud Cry of the Third Angel which is to lighten the earth with its glory.

Do you know why it has been on "hold" ever since?

If you don't know the history of the 1888 Message and the good news it brought to the remnant church, get the books and tapes that make the issues clear and STUDY!

If you have done your homework, are you doing all you can to share the good news—giving or lending books and tapes, starting a study group, initiating plans for a seminar in your church, giving sacrificially to help with the expense of publishing literature, taping seminars, travel expense of speakers, etc.?

The responsibility for spreading the good news cannot be left on the shoulders of a few.

If the Holy Spirit is impressing you that this "most precious message" should go to the church and to the world, make a serious commitment to pray daily for guidance that you may know what the Spirit would have you do and may enable you to do it.

The 1888 MESSAGE NEWSLETTER is distributed free of charge. Those who wish to make tax-deductible gifts toward the expense of 1888 publications may make checks payable to New Start Health Educators, Inc., and send them to Donald Cate, 2934 Sherbrook Drive, Uniontown, Ohio 44685.